Updated on: 8/31/2020
A woman is dead after an apparent medical emergency lead to a King County Deputy to lose control of their vehicle, causing a four-vehicle collision
The collision took place in Seattle's Georgetown neighborhood on Airport Way South Saturday afternoon, where a woman was waiting in the passenger seat of a parked vehicle when she was struck by the out of control patrol car, and died.
Witnesses at the scene describe the patrol vehicle traveling twice the posted speed limit before striking three vehicles.
The officer was transported to Harborview medical center in critical condition after an unknown medical episode.
Seattle Police are currently investigating the incident.
Crashes Involving Law Enforcement Vehicles.
Accidents involving public employees, specifically police are uniquely challenging from a personal injury perspective as law enforcement carries special protection from lawsuits including personal injury claims.
Additionally, sudden medical emergencies may be used as a defense for an at-fault driver, and their insurance company, potentially shielding them from liability and any potential claim.
In order for a sudden medical emergency to be used as a defense, a driver must have lost consciousness suddenly prior to the collision, and unexpectedly, meaning the at-fault driver does not have a known medical condition or history of a sudden loss of consciousness.
These compounding factors of a claim against a law enforcement officer and the potential of a sudden medical emergency defense mean that any claim against the sheriff's office deputy who allegedly caused this accident would be incredibly complex and face serious challenges along the way.
Experienced car accident attornies like the team at Davis Law Group understand the importance of medical evidence in a personal injury claim and understand how to maximize the value of a claim for an accident victim and their loved ones.
Complicated cases like this may offer little to no recovery for accident victims from the at-fault party,
Davis Law Group works with victims' own personal injury protection, uninsured or underinsured driver protection, and even negotiates medical liens when necessary to provide their clients the best possible result after an accident.
If you lost a loved one in an accident and believe you may have a wrongful death claim, the award-winning wrongful death attorneys at Davis Law Group are here to help to offer free case evaluations to accident victims and their loved ones.
To request your free case evaluation with Davis Law Group call 206-727-4000 or use the chat or contact option on this page 24/7.
